Villa & a Half by WHY Architects: A Contemporary Multi-Generational Home Integrated Into Iran’s Redwood Valley

Villa & a Half by WHY Architects is a 520 m² single-family residence in Torghabeh, near Mashhad, Iran. Completed in 2024, the project redefines multi-generational living through a sophisticated blend of privacy, landscape integration, and innovative courtyard architecture. Designed to sit quietly within the serene Arghavan Darre (Redwood Valley), the home is carefully embedded into the natural hillside, preserving the valley’s gentle topography while creating a private sanctuary for a family of four and their son’s independent living suite.

Site Context: Architecture Rooted in Redwood Valley

Located in a low-density, environmentally sensitive area, the site is nestled within a valley named after the endemic Eastern Redwood tree. WHY Architects approached the landscape with respect, designing a structure that nests into the hillside rather than dominating it. This strategy minimizes visual disruption and enhances the home’s connection to nature.

The sloped terrain and unobstructed valley views informed the building’s form, orientation, and sectional organization. The goal was clear: create a home that benefits from the landscape’s tranquility while maintaining complete privacy from neighboring properties.

Programmatic Challenge: A Home and a Half

The client’s brief asked for more than a simple single-family house. They required:

• A main family residence
• A semi-independent suite for their son, a young lawyer
• A private outdoor space shielded from neighboring views
• Multi-generational flexibility for future use

WHY Architects responded with the concept of “a house and a half”—two interrelated living units connected by a courtyard, yet capable of functioning independently. This configuration includes:

• Two living units on three levels
• A shared but elevated courtyard that forms the organizational heart
• An exposed staircase providing separate access to the son’s private office
• Flexible spatial arrangements adaptable to changing family needs

This design ensures autonomy and connection, addressing modern family dynamics within a traditional Iranian housing ethos.

Architectural Strategy: Reinventing the Courtyard House

Iran’s architectural heritage has long revolved around the courtyard house, designed for privacy, climate control, and multi-generational living. Villa & a Half reinterprets this typology for a steep site and a contemporary lifestyle.

Instead of a simple enclosed courtyard, WHY Architects created a twisted, elevated courtyard system that wraps around the structure in a Mobius strip–like configuration, generating:

• A gradient of private to semi-public zones
• Indirect and filtered natural light throughout the interior
• Dramatic double- and triple-height voids
• Framed views from every room
• Continuous visual and spatial movement

This spatial complexity enriches the daily experience of the home while maintaining the core Iranian values of privacy and togetherness.

Material Palette: Local, Sustainable, and Economical

To honor the valley’s natural beauty and meet the client’s budget goals, WHY Architects selected locally sourced materials that blend quietly with the landscape. The subdued exterior tones reflect the earthy colors of the surrounding environment, creating a calm architectural presence.

Despite construction delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and rising material costs, the design team’s hands-on supervision ensured that the project maintained its integrity, sustainability, and cost-efficiency.

Interior Experience: Light, Color, and Volume

Inside, a series of intersecting volumes and voids shape the experience of the home. The architects used color palettes inspired by natural materials to distinguish private and guest areas, and to emphasize vertical connections created by the voids.

Key interior qualities include:

• Soft, indirect lighting
• Shifting light patterns throughout the day
• Carefully framed views toward the valley
• A fluid connection between floors and living units

This results in a warm, expressive environment that enhances the architectural narrative of connection and separation.

A Home Designed for Generations

Villa & a Half successfully balances modern design needs with the deep-rooted traditions of Iranian domestic architecture. Its sensitive site response, inventive courtyard system, and multi-generational adaptability make it a model for future residential projects in fragile landscapes.

All photographs are works of Diman Studio